There could be NHL hockey at Sandman Centre in the near future, at least that’s according to Premier John Horgan.
He made those comments during a media availability on Wednesday, saying hockey rinks across B.C. could be a good place for the NHL to finish its season, which was suspended on March 12 because of COVID-19.
“We’ve heard from others around the league that have other ideas about perhaps having all of the games played in British Columbia,” said Horgan. “We have WHL rinks in Victoria, in Kamloops, in Kelowna, in Prince George. The Kootenays, in Cranbrook has an outstanding facility as well. We have hotel space, so the sky is really the limit.”
“I believe we’re in a good place to host [games] and that’s why I contacted [NHL Commissioner, Gary Bettman]. I wanted him to know that B.C. stands ready to assist in looking at a plan. And if we can make it work, I think it will be great for B.C. and it will be great for the NHL.”
Vancouver had previously been proposed as a potential hub city from the NHL as it tries to complete the season, with Horgan saying he’s been in contact with Bettman, most recently on Tuesday.
“We have not had any contact from anybody about [NHL games in Kamloops], but we would be all in if that was a possibility for sure,” Sean Smith, the Business Operations and Events Supervisor with the city of Kamloops told NL News.
“There would be lots of details that we would need to work out. We are not going to cause any negative impacts to the Blazers but not knowing what the NHL is considering its really hard to make any judgments at this point.”
Horgan says the Canucks have been in contact with Lisa Beare, B.C.’s Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture, to discuss the potential about hosting NHL games in the province and what that could look like.
“Mr. Bettman and his team recognize that British Columbia has had a pretty positive response to COVID-19 in terms of flattening the curve,” Horgan added.
“Mr. Bettman also knows that this is a hockey-crazy province. We’d be happy to have hockey take place here so that we could see current games on our televisions. But there are obstacles, obviously, in the way.”
Among those obstacles is a 14-day mandatory isolation period for anyone entering Canada, with Horgan saying the plan would also depend on what Provincial Health Officer, Dr. Bonnie Henry says is allowable to manage the COVID-19 situation in the province.
– With files from Colton Davies and Jon Keen
